Council Votes to Join County Energy Council

The Piedmont City Council voted 5-0 Monday night to join a new "Energy Council" of local governments in Alameda County banding together to win grants for energy-related initiatives.

The new body, a joint powers authority, was proposed by the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, also known as StopWaste.Org, an existing joint powers agency operated by the participating local governments that guides joint policies on handling solid waste and hazardous materials.

Each of the county's 14 cities and the county government are being asked to join the Energy Council.

In January, the Piedmont City Council expressed reservations over several elements of the plan, including the weighted voting structure, which gives larger cities more votes. Piedmont asked that each jurisdiction get one vote.

However, the Waste Management Authority Board last month adopted the following weighted voting structure:

• Oakland – 3 votes
• Fremont – 2 votes
• Hayward – 2 votes
• County of Alameda – 2 votes
• All other cities – 1 vote each

Piedmont also asked for stronger liability protections and for a shorter notice period for withdrawing from the council. The Waste Management Authority agreed to those requests, adding a stronger indemnity clause and shortening the notice period to six months from one year.

The council readily agreed to join the council because it offers increased opportunties to secure grant funding by pooling resources and the population base with other jurisdictions, said City Administrator Geoff Grote.

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